Friday, September 2, 2016
Hello Everyone,
Ten days ago, I got on a plane and flew to the largest city in the world, in a country I've never been to, surrounded by a language I don't speak.To be honest, it was terrifying. And while I'm being honest, there have been multiple times in the last ten days where I've taken a step back and said to myself, "What have I gotten myself into?!" But, still being completely honest, I LOVE IT HERE. I love being a missionary, I love wearing the tag, I love that people call me ELDER ALDRICH, and I love that I get to be a representative of my Savior and bear His name on my heart for the next two years. Has it been easy? Hahahaha NO. But it's all been worth it, and I'm soaking it all in.
On the flight into Mexico City from Salt Lake, there were about 120 missionaries on our flight. I heard there was a picture going around the internet of like a MILLION missionaries in the airport? Idk, but if it is, THAT'S US.
My companion is Elder Paul and he's from good ol' St, Geezy, Utah. (That means St. George, btw.) We're the only two missionaries at the CCM (MTC) who are going to the Mexico Cuernavaca Mission. Elder Paul's older brother, also Elder Paul, entered the CCM the same day, is in our same district, and was called to be our district leader. So that's pretty cool.
My teachers are Hermano Salvador and Hermano Sanchez. They're both from Mexico City and they're a couple of the coolest, funniest guys. They've taught me so much and I seriously lucked out getting these guys as my teachers.
The CCM is, in the most loving way possible, a prison. Not in the "get me out of here" sense, more like, it's a 90 acre compound in the middle of Mexico City, surrounded by a 12 foot stonewall, with a 10 foot chainlink fence on top, all topped off with razor wire. We hear gunshots every day, which is cool. There are about 800 missionaries here, about 80% of which are American. But all the teachers and staff try to only speak Spanish, so you learn quick. Also, the weather here is perfect and the views are amazing. It rains all the time, which is awesome and the city outside The Wall has so much character.
Ahhh the food. Let's just say, every once in a while, they give us food that you make sure you bless your food (maybe even double bless for extra measure) and close your eyes and put it in your face. They make this thing was all call "soggy chips." Those should never be a thing. They also sometimes feed us really well! But those occasions are a little fewer and further between. Tuesday night is Costco pizza night, when you get to eat a little slice of home. And the comidor (cafeteria) always has a couple BUCKETS of nutella out. #BLESSED
Imagine you're hiking in the mountains and you come across a really nice boulder, so you bust out an air mattress and take a nice nap. But the air mattress goes flat and you end up just sleeping on a giant rock. That's what these beds feel like.
We've already taught our first investigator. (It was just Hermano Sanchez, they don't trust us THAT much yet) It's weird. I definitely know how to teach a lesson, just not in Spanish, so it has definitely been a learning experience.
The hardest part is that music is banned at the CCM. So I take every chance I get to play the piano, because I just miss music so much.
I ran into Elder Michael Shaw my first day here, which was pretty cool, and Elder Gaither (we didn't know each other before but he used to live in Vegas and we have a lot of friends in common) and I are in the same district and have become good friends!
It's seriously been such an amazing week! Thanks for all your love, support, and prayers! (and emails and letters!)
I love all y'all
-Elder Tyler Steven Aldrich
